When is the truth a lie? We talk about “little white lies” and half-truths. Is there such a thing? Here is one of my favorite stories. You decide for yourself if the parties involved told the truth or a lie:

American catfish farmers of the South are having a hard time economically. As is true in so many other fields, foreign products are selling much cheaper and undermining the American market.

A decade ago, this problem came home to catfish farming. A large influx of imported catfish hit the market and this glut depressed domestic catfish sales.

The “new catfish” was packaged and labeled “Delta raised catfish.” To any catfish connoisseur, which every Southerner considers himself, Delta catfish means raised on farms in the Mississippi Delta region of Louisiana/Mississippi.

Research and reading the fine print on this new Delta catfish revealed that it was truly Delta-raised. it came straight from the Mekong Delta of Vietnam! It’s not the same type of catfish we are used to eating. It is a species called basa, a very distant cousin of our catfish.

As they say in court, “I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”

How you can help on our upcoming Africa trips.

Sponsor a student at our Ugandan Baptist Seminary. The following men are currently students and need tuition ($200 per man) for the coming year: Obang Akila, Simon Akuku, James Metaloro, Moses Yeka, Denish Amadra. If you wish to sponsor one of these students, send a check (to “Open Hands Missions”* and notate: “Seminary Student.”) Our process is that I forward the money directly to the Seminary through our International Mission Board.

First of all, you can listen to a sample free. Secondly, if you don’t yet have the Audible app on your phone or device, email meand I’ll send a link where you can download the audio book free. Here’s the caveat: That you listen to it, honestly review it, and share about it with your friends on social media!

Many of you, “read” your books on audio. Our latest novel, As the Crow Flies, is now available through Audible. It is professionally narrated by Whitney Ann Jenkins and is a rollicking good story. Download the Audible app and take a listen.

Upcoming Books. We haven’t forgotten about our main calling: writing remarkable books! Here are current and upcoming projects:

The Pineywoods Manifesto A small book written to my grandsons. It is a legacy book of the qualities I want to pass on that are found in rural western Louisiana. Stay tuned for upcoming info. You can read chapters at www.creekbank.net/blog.

An Owl Called My Name Subtitled “1918 Louisiana’s No Man’s Land”. Our next historical novel that will tie together As the Crow Flies and A Spent Bullet. Release date expected in 2019 or beyond.

In the Wilderness. A memoir of my journey through depression. Coming in 2019.

As You Were. The sequel to A Spent Bullet. Expected release in 2020.

Upcoming events

Saturday, Aug. 18 Iowa Arts and Crafts Fair . 9-2

Monday, Aug. 20 Johnson Bayou Schools and Library

Tuesday, Aug. 21 Jennings Rotary Club

2018-08-17

About Curt Iles

I write to have influence and impact through well-told stories of my Louisiana and African sojourn.